Growing Pains
by monkeygirl77
Summary: Jack has an issue. An issue he's been struggling with for a little over a week now. He hadn't though much of it until it began to inhibit his everyday activities. Every angel grows in their wings when they hit a certain age. And Nephilim are no different. Jack's growing in his wings.


"Uncle Gabriel?", the small voice of the bunkers resident fledgling has him turning to gaze over his shoulder in question, one does not use that specific tone unless there is something wrong, and call it the Angel of Children screaming in him, but there is most certainly something wrong.

He could see just by the way he held himself, hunched over in the door way, shoulders taught and tight, fingers gripping at the sleeve of his jacket tightly, face wanting to twist into an uncomfortable grimace but not daring show such weakness. It aggravates his older brother to no end, the things that the boy has deduced as being signs of weakness, they are both sure they know where he gets these notions and though neither can call him on it Dean Winchester is their first and only guess.

The Messenger frowns in concern, "Hey kiddo", and turns to face him completely, "What goin' on bucko?"

Jack makes a face, grimacing, and rolls his shoulders in discomfort. Gabriel raises an eyebrow at the small movements, narrowing his eyes only just as he watches him twitch and shiver, but despite this the boy stays silent. He knows what the boy needs almost immediately, any angel would, but it is not his place to bring such a subject up. Lucifer's perhaps, seeing as he was the boys father, but as his uncle (even the fun one) it's most certainly not his.

"Jack?", he steps forward in an instant when the boy lets go a soft whimper, eyes starting to glisten with the shine of unshed tears, "What's _wrong_?"

"Uncle," he whimpers again and reaches back finally, a hand digging into his left shoulder, and he gives a small shriek of pain, "My shoulders...My shoulders hurt.", he whimpered again, reaching for the older angel with a shaking hand, "They hurt _bad_."

Gabriel is shocked still for a moment, this was not possible, even though he knew what was wrong, they hadn't had to deal with this for some time. Eons upon Eons, not since the last angel had been created, and he'd come to the age.

But here they were, and this was happening, there was no stopping it.

He cried out in pain and pulled his hand away from his shoulder, eyes widening at the sight of red, and he reached out for the Messenger with both hands. Gabriel shook his head, eyes taking on a serious light, and immediately hopped into that role. As an Archangel, he's seen many an angel grow in their wings, thats one of the things that they took care of, caring for an angel gaining their wings. He never heard of a nephilim having wings before, well, more precisely, not many nephilm having wings, though there hadn't ever been an Archangel Nephilim either, for an angel, it was a pain process to grow in ones wings. It was like another set of appendages, growing under the skin of the back, along the spine. When they were ready to come free they pushed against the skin, breaking and tearing, pushing through.

Even with an angels heightened healing abilities, and strong tolerance to pain, it was still an agonizing experience.

And Archangel's had three sets, six in total, and Jack was the son of an Archangel, there was no telling if and how many he'd get. On the same note, he was also human, he had a healing factor, but not like the angels did, and his pain tolerance, he didn't expect his pain tolerance to be as high as theirs had.

"Okay. You're okay. It's okay.", but he knew what actions to take without hesitation, "Come here. Come on. Let's lay you down."

Jack whines as he moves, any soft of movement is white hot pain at this point, and hisses as Gabriel gently leads him into his room, to his bed, and lays him down. Helping him down onto his stomach. He grits his teeth and sucks in quick shallow breaths, gripping at the end of the blankets tightly, it hurts horribly.

"Okay kiddo, breath for me okay," Gabriel kneels slightly, petting his hair back, "Anything I can get for you real quick?"

"I...", Jack looks ready to make the one request Gabriel's always hoped he'd make, eyes filled to the brim with hot tears, and he catches one with his thumb when it escapes down his cheek, Jack nods silently, "Dad...I want...Can you get my father?"

Gabriel nods, "Casti-", Jack cuts him off instantly, shaking his head quickly, more tears falling from his stormy eyes, "Lucifer! Can you please get my _father_!"

Again, he nods, "Okay kiddo. Be right back. _Right_ back.", Gabriel leaves him then, running from the room, down the hall, calling his brothers name as loudly as he can. Lucifer runs in from the library, book tucked into his side tightly, eyes wide with worry and eager for battle, many a question on his tongue.

* * *

"Hey little one", Jack looks up at the voice, whining as he meets the familiar ice blue gaze, and reaches a hand out for him. The elder folded his hand within his own, pressing his lips to the back, giving it a soft squeeze of comfort, "Heard you were growing in some wings in here."

There's another cry of pain to which he hushes, lips brush against the back of his hand again, and he looks up with tearful eyes. No longer does he hold it back, the pain is like nothing he's ever felt before, he doesn't like it and wants it to end, he wants it to stop. Lucifer hums softly and wipes the tears away, squeezing his little hand even more, "Hey hey hey, it's going to be okay,", Jack whimpers and clutches at the man's fingers, "It hurts!"

"I know it does", Lucifer bends over him, petting a hand down his head, and reaches for the bottom of his shirt. "Gonna pull this off.", the boy screams when he pulls the fabric away, the skin clotted in the stitching, and he tears it away fresh layers of skin as he does, but the shirt has to go. Jack squirms, pushing against him, sobbing harshly.

"Father no! No! It hurts!"

Lucifer catches his hand as he tries to push against him again, "I know kiddo, I know.", and tugs the shirt up over his head, Jack arches his back, fingers gripping his tightly, and he is quick in pulling him up into his lap. Jack curls into his chest, gripping his shirt tightly with both hands, Lucifer pulls him in close, peering over his shoulder to see just how far along his little guy is. He can't help but give a slight grimace at the inflamed red bumps, two, under both shoulders, as the wings are slowly pushing up and out, folded in a natural resting position.

Pressing a hand to the back of the boy's head, keeping him from pulling away, not that he had any worries that he might, Lucifer turned to look up at his archangel brother. The messenger was clearly a mess, not sure exactly what to do, he himself had never really been the one to guide the wings through, it had always fallen to Raphael (what with him being the Healer) or the elder two, he was a messenger.

Lucifer had no intention of allowing him to touch his son at the moment, but Gabriel was fast, fastest Angel Heaven had ever had, and he could be trusted to remember the list of things he would need.

"Gabe...Gabriel!", he had no time to sooth the youngers nerves, not when his only beloved son was sobbing into his shoulder, "I need you to gather me some things."

Falling into place, his worried expression gave way to something akin to determination, and he nodded for his older brother to continue.

"I need you to get me some rags, old ones that no one will mind getting stained, some towels; the softest ones we have, and several large basins of warm water. Not hot. Not cold. It has to be _warm_.", Gabriel nodded as he committed it all to memory, "I also need some soap with low concentration in it, maybe Sam's, Father knows his is _'all natural'_ , and get one of my old shirts, the big one, it should be under my pillow, its the one I sleep in."

There was no time to repeat himself, his attention completely given to comforting his distraught fledgling, whispering into his ear softly and stroking down the back of his head, anything to get him to take a breath and calm enough that he didn't make himself sick. But Gabriel did't need him to repeat himself, he had it all down in an instant, and was already out of the room before he could even take a breath before whispering anew. It took everything he had to make sure that he didn't do anything to disturb the sensitive skin on his back and shoulders.

The skin on his back was softer then usual, to allow the wings to come forth when they were fully ready to, any scratch lighter then a fether would simply tear it to shreds. Jack's tears were soaking into his shoulder and he feared for a moment that his son was more far along then he had originally thought (he's done this plenty of times but still was not perfect at it). As it was, Jack had been tearing through his skin all morning, or most of it, and seemingly had a higher tolerance for pain then they had all orginally thought or he had been too frightened to actually tell anyone. Lucifer gently pulled the fledgling as close to him as he could, tucking the little one's head into the crook of his shoulder, an arm around hte back of his neck keeping him in place as he gently peered over his shoulder again.

Feathers were already peeking out of the skin, two large lumps forming from his shoulder blades and down, right along side his spine.

Naturely, things moved right along, and before Gabriel made his return the boy started breaching half-way down his left side, his sobs were hoarse at this point, pushing and pulling against his shoulder at the same time, fingers gripping into his shirt so tight he was sure the fabric would tear. It was painful to listen to, as it was to witness, and Lucifer was sure he was going to need a large cup of water to sip after this to sooth his raw throat, and a good nap, wings were a tiring thing.

He pulled him close to his chest, tightening his grip around the back of his neck, and steeled his heart for what he was about to do, and gently he placed his palm of his free hand flat on the remaining half of the left lump, Jack screamed into his shoulder and he felt guilt well up in his belly knowing he was the reason for such a cry. He pressed down on the lump, and slowly moved his hand downwards, to push the wing out and break it through completely.

Jack's scream, though muffled by the archangels shoulder, still rang through the bunker.

His skin tore at the pressure exerted on it and the left set of wings fell outwards, limply falling to the side.

Giving the child a moment to catch his breath he pressed his lips firmly to his brow.

"One more little one, only one more."

Jack was weakened by the exertion of gaining his wings, physically and mentally exhausted, but he still managed to push weakly against his father's shoulder, his chest, and shake his head. He didn't want to do it again, it hurt, and he didn't like it.

"No...Fath...father please...no...it hurts...hu...hurts...Please!"

Lips still firmly pressed t his temply, he shut his eyes for a moment to collect himself, he longed to curl the fledgling in his own wings, and hold him there until the tears subsided. But all things in good time.

"I am so sorry my son.", he whispered in his ear, "Please forgive me."

Now that the left wing was free he couldn't allow the right to stay inside. It was not as far along as the left one had been, and he grimaced as he placed his hand, palm flat, against the top of the lump to the right and pushed down gently. Jack's fingers dug sharply into his shoulder, and he bit his tongue at the slight pain, holding him steady as he arched away from his touch, he could feel little droplets of blood dripping down his shoulder even from under the two shirts he wore. His sobs and screams, though muffled by fabric and exhaustion, would most likely haunt his dreams for days to come.

And they still rocked the bunker.

As soon as the right set fell free, hanging limply to the side, the fledglings sobs subsided. Jack was completely worn out, and hung limply against his arms, his face pressed into the side of his neck, Lucifer would feel the boys warm breath against his chin, his wet cheeks pressed against the crook of his shoulder, he sniffled softly as the only indication that he was still coherent and awake. He pet the back of his head with his free hand, the one not covered in blood and questionable clear liquids that had protected the appendages while under the skin.

"There you go, its done, we're done", he pressed his lips against his temple again, rubbing the thumb of his free hand over his wet cheek, "Calm down now, its okay, you're okay. You're okay little light bringer."

Gabriel chose that moment to make his reappearance, arms loaded with the supplies he had gathered, and was quick in getting passed the crowd outside the door and closing it behind him again, leaving said crowd out in the hall.

He set his load on the side desk, and turned to stare at his brother and nephew in shock, eyes wide as they took in the sight go the wet feathery appendages. It was hard to tell what color they were while still wet and dirty, but there was most certainly red poking out, and gold, and he smiled widely.

Lucifer met his gaze, and smiled in turn as he peered down at his fledglings little downy wings, he pet the back of Jack's head with his free hand again, "The hard parts over kiddo, now I'm going to clean them", Jack started quickly and he was fast to reassure him, "No, no, it won't hurt. I promise. It'll feel good. Uncle Gabriel loves it when his wings get groomed, thats what we call it, he even mews like a kitten."

Gabriel glared at him, but the smile he still wore took all the heat away, and reached out with a wet rag to clean his brother's hand first. Lucifer smiled at him gratefully. Reaching over, with both hands offically cleaned of any liquids and blood, he picked up one of the warm rags from the warm water basin that Gabriel had struggled carrying in. He wiped away the blood and amniotic fluid, picking some of the clumps free, true to his word, it didn't even hurt a little bit.

It did feel good.

Jack sighed softly, the tension slowly rolling away, and melted more fully against his father's chest.

Lucifer wiped in small soothing circles as he cleared away the splattered mess on his sore back, careful not to disturb him as he drifted between the stages of awareness and rest. Smiling over his head as he tucked in closer, making a small sound in comfort, fingers gripping lightly at his collar.

"Brother,", Gabriel spoke softly, watching his nephew fall asleep very carefully, not wanting to face his brother's wrath for waking the child after such an ordeal, "I did not want to mention it, but he won't shut up, Castiel wants in."

"Castiel can stay put.", Lucifer bent forward slightly, brushing his lips against the boys forehead, "Jacky?", and he hummed softly in response, too far gone at this point, the soothing rubbing and warm water making him sleepy, "Do you want Castiel in here as well?", they watched him as he seemingly thought it and smiled when he shook his head. He was fine where he was, sleepy, and comfortable, besides, he trusted Lucifer.

Taking that as his answer, Gabriel departed on his own term in a soft flap of his wings, to deliver his message to the appropriate party.

Lucifer turned back to his work, gently cleaning the pristine Archangel feathers until they were soft and gleaming, straightening them out as he went. As they dried they fluffed up, from the down the boy mainly had at this stage, and he rubbed his fingers through the portion he's already completed and Jack hummed softly, leaning into his touch, the little wings fluttered slightly in contentment, and he gave a soft chuckle as they pressed closer to his hand when he made to pull away, to return to work.

"Do you like that?", he rubbed at the spot once more, and smiled when he felt the lightest nod into his shoulder, "Well then, I'll have to do this a bit more, but I need to finish first."

Pressing a few fingers to the base of each new wing, Jack hiccuped softly against his neck, as he healed the large gashes and tears that had been left over. He was still not at full strength, and it was a mystery of when he would be again, but he would use even the littlest power he had to make sure his kiddo wasn't in anymore pain.

Working his way through the small wings, over every feather, taking the time to ensure that nothing was left untouched. His sons wings were breathtaking, and though the color was just starting to set in and the true masterpiece wouldn't set in until he shed his baby-soft down and grew in the flight feather, he could already tell they were going to be magnificent. The base was a soft red, the color of red wine, about half way down it blended into something more rose-gold, like his own wings, and the rose-gold melded into a soft pure straight gold.

He couldn't help the smile that came to his face, he was just so _proud_ , his son had wings and they were magnificent wings. His boy was already so much more then him, so much _better_ , and to see the hints of his wing color in the small soft down gave him a new hope that perhaps he wasn't so far gone anymore.

The color of the wings was nothing, but the strength of the color, the richness, gave way to the grace of the being. Jack was so pure, so untarnished, his grace was a pure gold, hence the reason for the gold in his wings. Being half angel and half human, he had a soul, powering his grace, the two were combined as one, it's what made him so much more powerful then his sire and what would make the colors so much more _vivid_.

Finished with his cleaning, he sat back, pulling to boy back with him, adjusting his position into something more desireable, and simply ran his fingers through the soft fluffy feathers. Jack hummed softly, the breath on his neck hitched slightly, and he nuzzled closer as he dropped off completely. Running his fingers along the ridge of the little right wing, Lucifer smiled at the small sounds his little one made, and stretched the little wing out, just barely the length of his arm, wings were always just a bit longer then the owners arm width, and he smiled as it shimmered in the lighting of his brothers bedroom.

Jack turned, gripping at his shirt tighter, and he folded the wing back into place.

"They're going to be beautiful, _Rahmiel_ , they _are_ beautiful.", he chuckled softly when the little one made a face, and he brushed his thumb over his cheek tenderly, "Oh hush, you know your name, it will always be as your mother chose it, but you can't have angel wings and not have an angel name."

Thunder rumbled, as if the heavens approved of his naming, and Jack settled down again, nuzzling his cheek against his collar bone.

* * *

"I need to be in there.", Gabriel blocked the seraphs path again, rolling his eyes at his persistence, but gave credit where credit was deserved, "The boy is not thinking clearly."

"Look kiddo", Dean made a noise when the messenger reached out to push the seraph back as gently as he could afford given his annoyance at the moment, he went ignored, and Castiel glared defiantly at the archangel in front of him, "First off, drop the tude. You may be bigger but I am still older. And secondly, Jack made it very clear, he just wants to be alone with his father at the moment, and even if you dont like it, you have to respect it."

"I am his father."

"No", Gabriel's patience was fading and it was fading fast, "No you're not. Despite what he has said, and what you apparently believe, his _father_ is _Lucifer_ and though I like it about as much as the next guy, we need to respect that as well."

The bunker rumbled, and they all froze, Gabriel looked upwards as the Winchesters looked around them in alarm, he'd been named. _Rahmiel_ , _**'nice, it fits, angel of mercy and love. Well picked brother'**_ , distracted by his thoughts, Castiel shoved around him. He had heard tales of what it was like when a fledgling grew their wings, the mess, and pain, and the after. He was more then prepared to cosette the little one in his wings, as was custome, from what he'd heard down the line. Gabriel gave a stern yell as his fingers curled around the door handle, the archangel frowned at seeing the look upon his face, insulted for his older brother, and Castiel pushed the door open.

Both seraph and archangel halted in their tracks, eyes wide, mouths falling open like a fish out of water, completely captivated by the scene before them.

Lucifer's wings had taken damage in the fall, and though healed, would be scarred forever. They weren't as pristine as they once were, feathers a burnt mockery of the rose gold they had once been, but that didn't stop him from curling them down over his little one, the only part of Jack they could see was his head, his hair all askew, and his eyes closed peacefully in blissful sleep. Icey blue orbs settled on them as they entered, but he spoke not a word, instead quirking an eyebrow at them and gazing back down to the peaceful face of his sleeping child, stroking a finger lightly across his forehead and down the bridge of his nose.

"Lucifer, you have don-"

"If you wake him Castiel", Lucifer's tone was soft, as if to avoid disturbing the slumbering fledgling, but the threat was still as dangerous no matter what tone he used, "While I won't touch you, Gabriel will have full authority, as the angel of judgement."

"And when do you intend to get yours?"

"I have already been judged, tried, and sentenced. My punishment for my crimes was extensive and enduring, and will last until the very last human takes its final breath, my crimes were no where near what yours are, do you really want to know the punishment you could face?", Lucifer didn't so much as look up at him, too focused on his boy, "Do not wake him."

Gabriel smiled, lifting the mood, as he reached out to gently push his brothers wing aside, to catch a glimpse of the fluffy down he knew was hiding underneath the archangels feathers. Little Jack's wings, what they would look like, had been a mystery from the day they knew he had them, and to see them now was a privilage he hoped he was able to have. Who got to see them, and when, was completely up to the boys father now.

But Lucifer moved his wing away, letting them all see, and Gabriel gave a soft cheer at the gold tips. Pure gold, untarnished, and so bright, just like his. He'd brag about this to everyone and anyone, all the time, _for_ some time. Castiel was drawn into silence at the sight of the boys fluffy wings, his eyes going wide in surprise, and he was at a loss for words. Lucifer reached down slightly, his fingers brushing through the soft baby down, and smiled when the nephilim nuzzled closer, and his little baby wings fluttered under his touch.

"Aren't they amazing?"

"Brother", Gabriel was just as speechless, reaching down to pet the wing nearest him, eyes darting up to his brothers for such permissions that were needed, Lucifer nodded softly as a go ahead, and he ran his fingers through the soft down, "They are magificant." he smiled when the wing fluttered under his touch, "You should be very proud."

Though he was drawn to the pure gold for obvious reason he was not so blinded to miss the rose colors too.

"He is going to be the brightest, little brother, the new Morningstar."

They exchanged smiles. Lucifer folded his wings back around the little one, brushing his hair away from his eyes, and smiled when he gave a soft murmur. Jack seemed to regress when he slept, the appearance of age falling back, into something so much younger. It was during these moment when they remembered he was truly around only 6 months old. Something they were all guilty in forgetting, well, all of them but Lucifer, he seemed to remember when no one else did.

"He's not going to be anything like you, not if we have anything to do about it", Dean's grumble went otherwise ignored, Lucifer was focused on his boy, back to stroking a finger down the bridge of his nose, "No. He's going to be so much better then I ever was. So much better.", he smiled as the thoughts of the future assualted him, "After he learns to fly of course."

Gabriel escorts the others other, not wanting to wake the little guy from his peaceful state, and closes his door behind them. Lucifer watches him, looking between the messenger and the nephilim.

"Gabriel do you want to join?", he chuckles when the messenger nods sheepishly, he hasnt gotten to curl up in his older brothers wings since he'd been a little fledgling himself, Lucifer rolls his eyes fondly and lifts a wing only slightly, "Come on Gabe."

They adjust positions, Jack murmuring softly in his slumber, and quickly find a position that works for all of them.

And they stay like that for the entire night.

* * *

 _ **So lets be honest guys, after seeing that our baby had wings in the last episode, we needed a wing fic for him! Can't you see Gabriel bragging about the fact that Jack has gold in his wings, and Luci because he has the rosy color too, they would be so proud! Baby Jack mewing when his wings are pet and groomed! AAAAAHHHHHH I CANT!**_


End file.
